Are Trek Novels canon or not...

[2 of 10]

Reading many posts there seems to be a difference of opinion between people who reguard the Trek Novels to be extensions of the series and films, and people who think that novels have no legitimate claim to know what may or may not happen in the unknown future of Trek, what gives??

 

[GodThingFormerly]

http://trekbbs.com/showpost.php?p=729654&postcount=17

TGT

 

[Strider]

They aren't canon, as future series and movies are in no way beholden to the continuity of Trek Lit. They are pretty great, though. If you wanna consider them to be part of Trek continuity then nobody's stopping you. That's what I do.

 

[captcalhoun]

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGH!!!! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!!!!

 

[Mike Farley]

Is Kirk's shirt gold or green?

Is Starfleet a military?

What does NCC stand for?

 

[Therin of Andor]

Reading many posts there seems to be a difference of opinion between people who reguard the Trek Novels to be extensions of the series and films, and people who think that novels have no legitimate claim to know what may or may not happen in the unknown future of Trek, what gives??

Fans don't decide canon issues, CBS/Paramount does. The fans may choose what counts, and what doesn't, in their own continuity of Star Trek events. Also, why should the writers of ST movies and TV episodes have to continually keep pace with the huge, and growing, number of licensed Star Trek novels, short stories, comics and RPG manuals, when they often don't even agree with each other?

 

[captcalhoun]

Is Kirk's shirt gold or green?

Is Starfleet a military?

What does NCC stand for?

gold.

yes.

nothing.

kthnxbai!

 

[Steve Roby]

Reading many posts there seems to be a difference of opinion between people who reguard the Trek Novels to be extensions of the series and films, and people who think that novels have no legitimate claim to know what may or may not happen in the unknown future of Trek, what gives??

Reading many forums I have noticed that there's one called Trek Lit, which is not only about books but has writers and editors of the books participating there, and yet people keep starting threads about books in General Trek Discussion. What gives?

Simple answer: the books aren't canon. But they are official. And with the shows off the air and the guy who made the canon rule dead, canon doesn't matter any more. You want to know what happens next, it's the books or nothing.

Dear mod: how about killing this thread or moving it to TrekLit?

 

[Anika Hanson]

Reading many posts there seems to be a difference of opinion between people who reguard the Trek Novels to be extensions of the series and films, and people who think that novels have no legitimate claim to know what may or may not happen in the unknown future of Trek, what gives??

Reading many forums I have noticed that there's one called Trek Lit, which is not only about books but has writers and editors of the books participating there, and yet people keep starting threads about books in General Trek Discussion. What gives?

Simple answer: the books aren't canon. But they are official. And with the shows off the air and the guy who made the canon rule dead, canon doesn't matter any more. You want to know what happens next, it's the books or nothing.

Dear mod: how about killing this thread or moving it to TrekLit?

I have to agree. I think what happens in the show is like a blueprint but the series only deals with what happens during the time the show is on air . I think the books help to fill in the gaps between what came before the show and what comes after the show ends. But I guess it's down to the individual as to how much they want to take in from the books or if they just want to view it as external to the show.

 

[blaXXer]

Reading many posts there seems to be a difference of opinion between people who reguard the Trek Novels to be extensions of the series and films, and people who think that novels have no legitimate claim to know what may or may not happen in the unknown future of Trek, what gives??

Not. Canon.

/thread over

 

[Mach5]

Simple answer: the books aren't canon. But they are official. And with the shows off the air and the guy who made the canon rule dead, canon doesn't matter any more.

Thank God someone said it! If I enjoy a certain book, and it does not contradict any existing canonical material (or future, like ST11), I consider it *real.* Therefore I *choose* to consider Ezri Dax a CO of the 'USS Aventine,' Trip Tucker a Section 31 operative, Worf Enterprise's XO and so on... It works for me.
Canon or not, why would anyone even care, seriously...

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Dear mod: how about killing this thread or moving it to TrekLit?

I'm killing it. There was an extensive thread on this subject not long ago. I left it in GTD. I don't see the need to have this thread right now, since the subject has been talked to death (and it has certainly been talked to death in TrekLit, so I'm not moving it there).